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Gas & Stomach Upset

Struggling with gas and an upset stomach isn't just a problem that is painful or uncomfortable--it's also potentially embarrassing. While your body digests food, gas forms in the digestive tract, leading to flatulence or belching.

  1. About

    • The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse defines gas as mostly odorless vapors made up of oxygen, hydrogen, methane, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Gas often causes stomach upset and pain.

    Causes

    • Hard-to-digest foods, antibiotics and swallowed air can all cause gas and an upset stomach. Having irritable bowel syndrome or being lactose intolerant may also contribute to digestive problems.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Gas causes bloating, cramps, flatulence and belching. The amount of stomach upset that occurs depends on how sensitive your large intestine is, how much gas your body makes and how your body absorbs fatty acids, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.

    Prevention/Solution

    • To prevent gas and stomach upset, limit foods heavy in sugar, starches and fiber that are difficult to digest; stop chewing gum; relax and slow down while you eat; cut down on carbonated beverages; and take a walk after you eat. Changing your diet and taking medications that aid in digestion will help solve problems with gas and stomach upset.

    Considerations

    • The NDDIC claims that people pass gas, on average, more than fourteen times each day--it's completely normal. If, in addition to gas, you have symptoms like bloody stool, rectal pain, heartburn, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss or constipation, the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health recommend that you see a doctor.

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